Ahead of World Wetlands Day, Kutch, Etah sites get Ramsar tag

Patna Bird Sanctuary

Chhari-Dhand is a seasonal saline wetland located between the famous Banni grasslands and salt flats of Kutch, as per a note issued by the Ramsar Convention secretariat. It is an important wintering site for waterfowl, supporting species such as critically endangered sociable lapwing, the vulnerable common pochard, and, notably, approximately 30,000 common cranes (Grus grus) annually, the note added.

Meanwhile, the Patna bird sanctuary wetland consists of freshwater marshes, woodlands and grasslands, and is surrounded by agricultural landscapes, as per the note. Together, these different landscapes create a wide range of habitats and support a high level of biodiversity, reflected in the 178 bird species and 252 plant species recorded at the site.

“Patna Bird Sanctuary is particularly important in supporting waterbird populations and has been designated an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) by BirdLife International,” the secretariat note added.

Under the international Ramsar Convention treaty of 1971 signed in Iran, wetlands that meet a certain criterion on ecological and biodiversity grounds are chosen for special conservation measures. These could be based on the presence of vulnerable species or due to its importance as a bird habitat. Such wetlands with higher ecological value are identified by national governments, and they submit an information sheet qualifying the criteria the site meets as a Ramsar site.

After the information on these wetlands is submitted, the convention’s secretariat ensures that the data and map meet the standards set by the Conference of the Parties before publishing the information on these sites.

Once declared as a Ramsar site, the wetlands have to be managed sustainably and protected to prevent their ecological degradation.